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Friday December 21, 2012 5:19 AM

CAIRO — Egypt’s top prosecutor retracted his resignation yesterday, a decision that could cause
a new uproar in the country after he was accused of pressuring a judge not to release protesters
opposed to the Islamist president.

The prosecutor, Talaat Abdullah, who was appointed by President Mohammed Morsi, told reporters
he resigned on Monday “under pressure” and amid “abnormal circumstances.” Prosecutors held a sit-in
in front of his office.

The protesting prosecutors accused Abdullah of pressuring a judge not to release about 130
anti-Morsi protesters taken into custody this month. The judge had been investigating the Dec. 5
clashes between members of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group and anti-Morsi protesters. At least 10
people died in clashes that day.

Morsi alleged that some of those detained during the clashes had confessed that they were paid
to attack his supporters, a charge the investigating judge refuted.

Abdullah’s appointment was part of Morsi’s highly controversial Nov. 22 decrees, under which he
gave himself immunity from judicial oversight. The decree was aimed at preventing the courts from
disbanding the Islamist-dominated assembly drafting Egypt’s new constitution, which is now being
voted on in a referendum.

Morsi eventually rescinded the decrees, but only after the constituent assembly finalized the
draft constitution.

The decisions plunged the country into turmoil, split political forces into two camps —
Islamists and their opponents — and sparked street protests by the opposition and members of the
judiciary.

The crisis intensified when Morsi put the draft constitution to a vote, despite protests.

The first round of voting on Saturday drew an unexpectedly low turnout of about 32 percent and
was boycotted by most judges who traditionally monitor the voting. Unofficial results from the
first of two votes showed that 56 percent voted for the constitution. The second round of voting is
set for Saturday.